USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens > Part 11
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134
91
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
Charles Duncan, who was a single man. He made his home sometime with his brother, but moved to Hancock county. Later he came back, but afterwards, during the time of the rush to Califor- nia, he fell in with the tide of emigra- tion, and moved to that Eldorado of the west, where he now resides.
Among the settlers of 1830, was Peter Hale, who erected a cabin in what is now Emmett township, just west of where Macomb now stands, near the site of the old grave yard. He was the first coroner of this county. William Prin- gle, also, made a settlement a short dis- tance west of him about the same time.
William I. Pace, a Kentuckian, came to this county in the fall of 1830, and after spending the winter with T. J. Pennington, he made a settlement in the spring, on the place now owned by Robert Venard, in Chalmers township, where he remained some five years, re- moving from thence into the adjoining township of Scotland. He lived there until 1855, when he passed to "that land from whose bourne no traveler ever returns."
5
Jacob Coffman erected a cabin on sec- tion 8, Blandinsville township, in 1830, also, and made some improvements. After a few years he sold out and moved to Missouri, but subsequently returned to this county, where he died.
James H. Dunsworth came from his native state of Tennessee, during the year 1830, and locating upon section 8, in Bethel township; opened up a farm. He remained upon this place until Au- gust, 1860, when he was summoned hence by the angel of death.
John Wilson, a native of Washington county, Kentucky, made a settlement in 1830, upon section 12, Chalmers town- ship, where he lived until the fall of 1834, when he was murdered by the Mc- Faddens, as related elsewhere.
Austen Coker, in 1830, settled down with his family upon a farm in what is now Industry township. He came from Jackson county, Tennessee. He died while still a resident of McDonough.
Lewis F. Temple, a settler of 1830, came from Kentucky, and opened a farm on section 3, Chalmers township. In about 1835 he left for Iowa.
John Scroggins made a settlement in Blandinsville township, on section 32, in 1830, but remained but a short time. He ' made some improvements and built a cabin, but sold out and moved farther west.
On the first day of April, 1831, there arrived at the cabin of John Baker, which then stood on the site of the city of Macomb, the newly appointed clerk of the circuit court, James M. Campbell, he being the fifth settler of that town, . the family of Mr. Baker consisting of four persons. Perhaps there is no man in the county, that has been more fully identified with the interests of it, who has been more active in advancing its standing, or who has done more toward developing its resources than Mr. Camp- bell. He held the several offices of county clerk, clerk of the circuit court, county recorder, postmaster of Macomb, and notary public for many years. A full sketch of this eminent and honored gentleman is given further on, in chap- ter XII. He is still a resident of Ma- comb, after a life of fifty-four years
92
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
spent there, honored and respected by all-still a sturdy survivor of early days. [_ Thomas Palmer, located in Colchester township, on section 19, in the spring of 1831. He came from Morgan county, and returned to that place after about two years residence.
Moses Henton and Lawson H. Rob- inson, came to Macomb village in 1831, and opened a general store, a history of which is given in its proper place in the annals of that city.
Jonathan Reno, with his family, set- tled in what is now Scotland township in the spring of 1831. He, after open- ing a farm, disposed of it to Charles Hays.
About the same time Roland Lee and his son John, came to this township with their families and made a settlement. With them came Alexander and James, also sons of Roland Lee, who were at the time unmarried, but who soon obtained partners and settled down. Cyrus Walker purchased the land which he owned here, of these Lees.
About the same time, settlements were made in this locality by Josiah Huddles- ton, Anthony Huddleston, Berry Stock- ton, Elhannon Lane, Benjamin Rice, Stephen Rice and others.
Huddleston and his family, "squat- ted" upon section 34 in Scotland town- ship, where he remained until 1834, when he left the country. Berry Stock- ton settled on section 33, of Industry township, in 1832, and remained until 1836, when he went to Texas.
Nicholas B. Rodgers, settled in the village of Macomb during the year 1831, and died while a resident of the place in after years.
John Anderson came from Columbia, Adair county, Kentucky, in 1830, to Lewistown, Fulton county, and in No- vember, 1831, located two miles and a half west of Macomb in Chalmers town- ship, on the northeast quarter of section 3. Here he remained until about Sep- tember, 1835, he moved into Macomb, and purchased lot 1 in block 24, where the city buildings are now built, and erected a hotel which he operated until- 1846, when he was called to his reward. He was a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, and moved to Kentucky with his father in 1791, and settled near New Castle, Henry county. There lie was married to Sarah Loudon. In 1808 or nine, he removed to Columbia, Adair county, and from thence to this state.
When Mr. Anderson came here he purchased a claim of Lewis F. Temple, on which was erected a small cabin about fourteen feet square. In this small building, a family of fourteen were com- pelled to pass the winter, one of the most severe ever experienced in the state. They were compelled that winter, to grate corn to live on as there were no mills, and the corn was partially frosted and even had they had mills they could not have had it ground.
Samuel Bogart came to Macomb during the early summer of 1831, and opened a small grocery. He afterwards, in 1832, commanded, as major, the odd battallion during the Black Hawk war. At its close, or in 1833, he went to Iowa.
Salem Woods settled on section 30, New Salem township in the fall of 1831, although he had purchased it in 1827. He was a native of Pennsylvania.
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY. 93
Hugh McDonough made a settlement in what is now Tennessee township dur- ing the fall of 1831, where he resided many years. Although he has since died, several members of his family are still living in McDonough county.
A man by the name of Ladd came to McDonough in the fall of 1831, and took up his residence in a cabin already built on section 17, Colchester township, but left within a year's time.
Evan Martin, a native of Kentucky, came to McDonough county in 1831, and entered over ninety acres of land on sec- tion 31, in what is now Hire township. Here he opened and improved a farm, and is still a resident of the township.
Arthur J. Foster located on section 2, in Eldorado township during the year 1831, and made a settlement. On this farm he resided until September 23, 1843, when death came to his home, and took him from his family. He purchas- ed the claim or the land held by Anson Mathews. In 1836, Mr. Foster built the first brick house in the township. To him, also, belongs the credit of planting the maple grove in which the Cumber- land Presbyterian church is now built. When he set it out he gave it out as his intention that it was for that purpose, and since his death, his wishes have been fully carried out.
Jolın Duncan made a settlement in Blandinsville township in 1831, and re- mained a resident until his death, many years after.
William Venard, made a settlement in Bethel township in 1831, on the place now owned and occupied by his son, George.
Joshua Hunt made a settlement in what is now Colchester township, in 1831, on a farm about a mile west of the present site of the town of Colchester. He and his family remained on this place until 1839, when he removed to a house built on section 3. He has since been "gathered to his fathers " but some of the family are still residents of the county.
James Fulkerson, in the winter of 1831-2, emigrated from Tennessee to Illinois, and remained the balance of that season in Jacksonville, Morgan county. In the spring of 1832, he came to McDonough county and located on sections 28 and 29, in Tennessee town- ship where he remained until overtaken by death.
In the spring of 1832, Willis Way- land, Sr., located upon section 34, in Chalmers township. He was a native of Virginia, but came to this county from Kentucky. He died while a resi- dent of this place in 1861.
David Jenkins and his sons, William and James, in the spring of 1832, came to McDonough county from Tennessee, and liking the looks of the land in La- moine township, made a settlement there. The elder Mr. Jenkins is now living in Kansas, but the sons are both residents of this county yet.
Among the other settlers of 1832, was Daniel Sandidge, who in the spring of that year located in Industry township, opening a farm. He stayed there until 1833, in the fall, when he removed to Eldorado township, and later to Schuy- ler county, where he died in 1882.
-
94
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
John Hushaw was another early pioneer of the southeastern part of the county, locating in the township now known as Industry, in the month of April, 1832.
Bethel township received another set- tler in the person of Malachi Monk, in the fall of 1832. He located on the west half of the southwest quarter of section 7, and opened a farm. He made this his residence until April, 1840, when he died. His son, John Monk, came with him and took up the east half of the southwest quarter of the same section as his father, where he has resided many years.
Section 33, Chalmers township, re- ceived a settler in 1832, in the person of James McClure. He was a native of Kentucky, but came to this state in an early day and lived in Morgan county. He was quite an oddity in his way. He died a resident of the county.
James Head came to McDonough county and settled in Emmet township, on section 5, in 1832. Here he remained until 1855, when he moved to the city of Macomb, where he lived until overtaken by death in 1863.
In 1832, Joseph Smith made the first settlement in what is now Mound town- ship, on section 18, where he remained until the spring of 1837.
Joseph McCroskey, a native of Ken- tucky, settled in Scotland township in 1832. He died in the city of Macomb.
John A. Chenoweth was a settler in the town of Macomb during the year 1832; he was engaged in trade there for some little time, but left in 1837, quite suddenly.
Richard H. Churchill made a settle- ment on section 14, in what is now Em- met township, in 1832.
Dr. Charles Hays located on the south- east quarter of section 34, Scotland township, in 1833, purchasing the land of Jonathan Reno.
Section 31, in Lamoine township, re- ceived a settler in 1832, in the person of Orvel Sherrel. He afterwards removed to Missouri, where he died. Elijah Poole, his father-in-law, at the same time settled upon section 30, and moved with him to Missouri, and is also numbered with the "great majority."
Abel Friend about the same time lo- cated upon section 30, but soon removed to section 20. In 1848, he emigrated to Iowa, where he afterwards died. His father and brother Charles also came with him, the former settling upon sec- tion 8, the latter on 28.
Martin Fugate made his first settle- ment in this county in Bethel township, during the year 1832. He is now in Bushnell, but some of his children are still resident of the locality where the father settled.
James C. Archer was also a settler in this locality the same year.
John P. Kinkade entered a farm on section 5, in Industry township, in 1832, and putting up a cabin, entered upon the labor of opening up a farm. Here- sided here for many years, but has long since been gathered to his fathers.
During the year 1832, a settlement was made within the limits of what is now Lamoine township, by Christopher Yates. He put up a cabin and broke
95
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
about six acres of land, but soon left and moved to Hancock county.
William McKamy, with his widowed mother, located in Chalmers township in 1832. He is still a resident of the county; his mother is dead.
Rev. James King, a Tennesseean, made a settlement in Lamoine township in the fall of 1832 or spring of 1833, where he lived for many years. He was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a most excellent man, and had the respect and esteem of all who knew him.
Charles Dunsworth came to McDon- ough county in the fall of 1832, and re- mained all winter with his son James, who had preceded him some two years. In the spring of 1833 he settled on the northeast quarter of section 17, in what is now Bethel township, where he 're- mained until overtaken by death, in 1842.
This brings the settlement up to Jan- uary 1, 1833. After that the country began filling up more rapidly, until in 1835, over 400 votes were cast in the county, showing it then had a popula- tion of nearly 2,000. The names given above are simply an index of what will be finished in the histories of the respective townships, where will be found the accounts of the settlement of these and many other parties, in full de- tail, which are not given here, to avoid needless repetition, which space and judgment forbid.
HISTORIC FIRST ITEMS.
The first child born in the county was James, son of John Vance, who was
born May 18, 1828, on section 30, at what was then known as "Job's Settle- ment," now Blandinsville.
The first marriage in the county oc- curred on the 30th of October, 1828, when Rev. John Logan joined in wed- lock the hands of John Wilson and Martha R., daughter of James Vance, at the residence of the latter, in Industry township.
The first death in the county was most likely an infant son of Isaac Fow- ler, of Industry township, who died in the summer of the year 1828, on sec- tion 25.
The first school in the county was taught by a man by the name of George Dowell, in a log cabin on section 15, in Industry township, during the year 1830.
The pioneer postoffice was that at Macomb, which was established in 1831, with James M. Campbell as postmaster, the date of whose commission was Octo- ber 1, of that year.
The first sermon ever preached in the county was delivered by Rev. John Logan, a Baptist clergyman, at the cabin of William Stephens, on section 24, in Industry township, in the spring of 1828.
The first professional lawyer in the county was W. W. Chapman, in June, 1832.
The first physician to locate in the county was Doctor Shuff, who settled in Macomb during the early part of 1832.
The first newspaper was the McDon- ough Independent, first issued Septem- ber 12, 1851, at Macomb.
96
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
The first term of the circuit court was held at the house of John Baker, on the site of the city of Macomb, on October 17, 1830, by Judge Richard M. Young.
Richard Dunn is believed to have been the first white settler in the county, lcciting in what is now Hire township, in 1825, and building a cabin and culti- vating about four acres of corn that year.
The first store opened in the county was in Macomb, by James M. Campbell, in 1831.
The first town laid out in the county was Macomb, in 1831.
The first cooking stove was brought
into the county of McDonough by Salem Woods, to Pennington's Point, in 1832. James M. Campbell brought the second one to the county.
The first Sunday school in the county was organized at the old fort in Indus- try township, two miles south of the town of Industry, at what is now called "the cross-roads," by Rev. John Logan, a Baptist minister.
Rutherford McClure, of Tennessee township, laid the first tile for drainage purposes, in McDonough county,in 1872. He purchased the tile from Abram Hor- ricks, who established a small factory in Colchester about that time.
CHAPTER VI.
REMINISCENCES, INCIDENTS AND PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS.
The following account of personal matters is given to show the mode of life under which the pioneers labored, and the incidents and stories of early life in the county of McDonough, during the embryoic stage of its growth. In the cases where they have been written by others, the compiler of this volume has in no case altered them, but inserted them just as they were handed to us. The expressions of an individual, as shown in the writing, are sometimes as good an index to character and peculiar- ities as much as the painting or engrav- ing. These incidents are interesting and well worthy of perusal.
Whatever of romance adhered to the lives of the hardy colonists, was abund- antly compensated for by hard labor. Contrast the journey of that devoted party through the roadless and bridge- less tract between civilization and their future home, with a company on a like journey to-day. Instead of weeks of labor and toil, privation and suffering, with cold and hunger, a seat is taken in a palace car, unexceptional meals are partaken of without leaving the train, the passenger retires upon a downy couch, and, in all probability, awakes to find himself at his point of destination in central or western Illinois, having
97
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
only lost a day or two on his journey. Those who enjoy these blessings would be less than human, if they were not filled with gratitude toward these early settlers, who paved the way, and actually made the present state of things possi- ble. At that time the confines of civili- zation were on the lakes ; Chicago was just beginning to be a village and Mil- waukee was a mere vidette, an outpost of civilization. There was comparatively nothing in the now great state of Illinois, with her almost innumerable railroad lines spanning the state in all directions, except the intrinsic merit of the location, to attract people from their more or less comfortable homes in the east, or from on the other side of the briny deep. The hope as to the future, which "springs eternal in the human heart," was what lured them on, and although those who came were usually regarded by the friends they left behind, as soldiers of fortune, who, if they ever returned at all, would indeed be fortunate. They were a sturdy race, who realized the in- equality of the struggle in the old states or countries, and resolved to plant them- selves where merit would not be sup- pressed by traditions.
The men who came were, as a rule, enterprising, open-hearted and sympa- thizing; they were good neighbors, and so good neighborhoods were created, and they illustrated the idea of the brotherhood of man more by example than by quoting creeds, with a bravery that never blanched in the presence of the most appalling danger, they never- theless were tender, kind and consider- ate in the presence of misfortune, and
their deficiency in outward manifesta- tions of piety was more than compen- sated by their love and regard for hu- manity. And if this meed of praise is justly due to the men, and it certainly is, what shall be said of the heroic women who braved the vicissitudes of frontier life, endured the absence of home, friends and old associations, whose tender ties must have wrung all hearts as they were severed. The devo- tion which would lead to such a break- ing away, to follow a father, a husband or a son into the trackless waste border- ing on the Mississippi, where gloomy apprehensions must have arisen in the mind, is above all praise. The value of the part taken by the noble women who first came to this wild region cannot be over-estimated. Although by nature liberal, they practiced the most literal economy, and often at critical times pre- served order, reclaiming the men from despair during gloomy periods; and their example of industry constantly admonished him to renewed exertion, and the instincts of womanhood con- stantly encouraged integrity and man- hood.
As to the effects of frontier life upon those who have secured homes in the west, a few observations may not be in- appropriate.
Years ago the Rev. Dr. Bushnell, a noted divine in the east, preached a ser- mon on the barbarous tendencies of civ- ilization in the west, and on this the reverend gentleman predicated an urgent -and we almost said, frantic-appeal to Christianity to put forth renewed and
98
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
strenuous efforts to save the west from a relapse into barbarism. This tendency was supposed to result from the disrup- tion of social and religious ties, the mingling of heterogeneous elements, and the removal of the external re- straints, so common, and supposed to be so patent, in older communities. Dr. Bushnell did not have a sufficiently ex- tended view of the subject, for in look- ing over the history of the past, we find that in a nomadic position there is never any real progress in refinement. Insti- tutions for the elevation of the race must be planted deep in the soil before they can raise their heads in beauty and maj- esty toward heaven, and bear fruit for the enlightenment of nations. The evils of which Dr. Bushnell was so afraid are merely temporary in their character and will have no lasting impression. What actually happens is this: At first there is an obvious increase of human free- dom, but the element of self-govern- ment everywhere largely predominates, and the fusion of the races, which is inevitable, will in due time create a com- posite nationality, or a race as unlike as it must be superior to those that have preceded it. Even now, before the first generation has passed away, society in the west has outgrown the irritation of transplanting, and there are no more vicious elements in society here than in the east, as the criminal statistics will abundantly verify.
During the year 1831, Samuel McGee built a mill on Crooked creek, in Ten- nessee township, and while he had all the neighbors helping raise the frame,
Miss Martha McGee carried all the water and provisions to them from their house, a mile and a half distant, One day, while carrying their dinner to the force, she had an adventure that was startling, to say the least, She was on horseback, and she had scarcely gone a quarter of a mile from the parental roof when they were attacked by a pan- ther. The scared horse, leaving her, ran off homeward, but she alarmed the men at the mill, who immediately started in pursuit. All that afternoon the chase continued and until the next morning, when Moses Holiday shot the animal and brought it home.
AN INCIDENT.
During the winter of 1832-3, in In- dustry township, Rev. Philip Corder was at the house of Jonathan Reno, for the purpose of holding services, the lat- ter named gentleman having the largest house in the neighborhood at that time. It was a bitter cold day, and the rev- erend gentleman had just arrived and stood by the fire-place long enough to get partially warm, when the genial Jonathan, who was not a professor of religion, (although his wife was), called Rev, Corder outside the door and in- structed him not to preach a warmer climate for the her eafter, because his wife would surely leave him to seek a more genial climate.
The family were from the State of Tennessee, and Mrs. Reno was greatly dissatisfied with the severe weather they had experienced in this new country. Rev. Corder afterward acknowledged, in a conversation with a friend, that the
Continental Hist! Co
O. G. Sunnicliff
-
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY. 101
interview with Mr. Reno had so taken him down that he was almost at a loss to know what to say during the services which followed.
In December, 1830, James Clarke went to Springfield, and, in behalf of the county, entered the quarter section upon which the old town of Macomb was subsequently laid out. For this service he was allowed the munificent sum of three dollars, which was cer- tainly well earned, for, while returning, he was overtaken by the big snow storm so well remembered by all the old set- tlers, and it was with great difficulty that he arrived safely at home. The snow began to fall when he was between Springfield and Beardstown, and in a few hours time all traces of the road were obliterated, and the only way by which he could with certainty know he was pursuing the right course was by observing the trees and large weeds he had noticed in previously passing over the road. The recollection of this "big snow" is vividly impressed upon the mind of more than one old settler, and the remembrance of the horrors of that long winter will never be obliterated while their lives shall last. The snow began falling the night of the 29th of December, continuing to fall for three days and nights, until it reached an average depth of about four feet, drift- ing in places as high as eighteen or twenty feet. Great suffering was exper- ienced in consequence. The settlers relied for their daily food upon the Indian corn which they were enabled to raise, together with the wild game,
which was abundant at that time .- Plenty of the former was raised to sup- ply the wants of all until the next sea- son's crop; but when the snow fell, but little had been gathered; game could not be had. The great depth of the snow was a barrier to all travel, and it may well be imagined the sufferings of the people were great indeed. In a lete ter, published in March, 1876, in Clarke's Monthly, James Clarke thus graphically described the situation:
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.